Water-closet structure



` y 1,636,649 July 19 1927- E. RICHARDSON WATER cLosET STRUCTURE Filedot. 11. 1924 l2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l A I By f f 1,636,649 July '19 1927 E.RICHARDSON I WATER cnosm snucruns F1166 oct. 11, 1924 y2 sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOIL g @MW ATToR EYI Patented July 19, 1927.

UNITED sTATEs- :ERNEST RICHARDSON, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATEa-oLosE'r STRUCTURE.

Application filed October 11, 1924. Serial No. 742,988.

This invention relates to water closet seats, and also to the lidstherof, the objects of the invention being to construct these elements,so that they will be light and durable, ineX- pensive to manufacture,sanitary in use, and clean, neat and attractive in appearance. 'lViththese and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novelfeatures of construction and combination of partsdescribed in detail inthe specification to follow and pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Fig. i is a plan view partly in section of the improved seat and lid. Y

F ig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation if the same on the line2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 a sectional elevation of the two plates of which the seat isformed, showing said plates separated from each other.

Fig. elis a similar view showing said plates weldedL together.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the rear end of theseat structure and the parts of the kseat hinge separated from eachother. l

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rear end of the seat showing theseat hinge attached thereto.

Fig. 'i' isa longitudinal section through the same on the line `7--7 ofFig. 6. Y

Fig. S is a fragmentary view of the bot tom Aplate of the lid showingthe same formed with an opening to receive'acushion block, which latteris shown in position therein in dotted lines. v

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the cushion block. 'Y l Fig. 9 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 8 showing in dotted lines a cushion block of modiliedform.

Fig. 9a is aside elevation of the modified form of block.- l

Referring to the drawings: A

In the embodiment illustrated, the improved seat l is constructed ofcomparatively thin sheet metal and consists of a substantially liat basesection or plate 2 of ring-like form, and a top section or plate 3 ofsimilar form but having flanges t and 5 at its inner and outeredgescurved downwardly to meet the marginal edges of the base plate 2.The two sections or plates are welded together along their meeting edgesas at la, Fig. 4L, so as to form an integral unio-n or connectionbetween them, any bulge or piling up of the metal due to the weldingoperation being dressed down to4 leave a smoothguninter-y v ruptedsurface. Thereis .thus produced a hollow metallic seat structureintegral throughout and free from seams or joints, which feature risadvantageous not only in giving the inished seat a neat and attractiveappearance, as well as making it sanitary but also in facilitating theenameling process to which the seat is subjected as presently described.1

At the rear end of the structure,'the outer -fiange 5 of the top plate 3is cut away, as

best seen in Figs. 5and 7, to providean -i opening 6 extending acrossthe seat for nearly theL full width of the same. The main purpose ofthis openingis to permit the application of the hinge parts by which theseat is pivoted to the bowl A, but. it subserves other and importantadvantages. F or example, by inserting a holder or handle of some sortin the opening 6, the seat may be supported without obstructing anylportion of it-s surface, so that the entire sur face of the seat is leftexposed for the smoothy and unblemished application of the porcelainenamel coating. Before. applying such coating, it is proposed to immersethe seat in a pickling bathin order to cleanse the metal surfaces andprepare them forA the reception of the coating.v .The opening 6 is alsouseful in this connection, since it provides an escape, for the picklingsolution fter the seathas been removed from the ath.

The hinge structure forthe seat consists of an exterior metal hingeplate 7 and an interior metal supporting plate 8. The sup- .portingplate 8 rests at its lower edge on the base plate 2 and engages at itsupper edge and at its opposite ends the inner face of the hollow bodysurrounding the opening G, closing the same entirely. The hinge platefengages the outer face of the hollow body around the opening 6, entirelycovering the same, and is formed with a flange 7? underlying the rearfree edge of the base plate,-

to brace the same. The opening` 6 is thus eifectually closed against theentrance of dirt or dbris, so that the seat will be perfectly sanitaryand present a neatV iinished appearance. Screws 9, which extendthroughholes in the ends of the hinge late', and through the opening 6,are threaded) into the ends of the supporting plate, whereby the partsmay be drawn tightly together and the hinge plate clamped firmly andsolidly in position on the rear end of the seat. By these means, thehinge parts may be attached to the enameled and finished seat withoutthe necessity ofI forming openings or holes therein Vto receive vthefastening "devices which would crack and malj'tbe. enamel coating. Lugs10 project rearwardly from the hinge plate and are formed with alignedvbearing openings through which is extended i formation of the seat,providing a flat hollowintegral metal lid'structure' ofa form andsizewhich will cover the central opening in the seat. At its rear end,the lid is formed with an opening 1,7 subserving the same functionsand`advantages as the opening 6 in the rear end of the seat Structure;

In this instance, the hinge structure comprises a hinge plate 175,asupporting plate 18 and clamping screws 19 similar to the corresponding'hinge parts of the seat structure. `Lugs 2O projectv rearwardlydownwardly from the hinge 'plate 17 and are formedy with bearingopenings mounted on the pivot rod 11, Ywhereby'the lid is hinged to theseat so that it may be opened and closed as usual.

'Buffer'blocks 21, preferably made of rubber, are applied to the underside 'of the lid in position to rest upon theupper side of the seat, andthus cushion the closing movement of the lid. As shown in Figs. 8 and 8,the base plate of the lid is formed with a hole 22 and the buffer blockis formed with a cylindrical head 23 of` greater diameter than thatofthe hole, which head when crowded into the hole will expand-on theinner sideojt the plate and hold the block in place. A similar' block21a but of slightly different form is shown lin. Figs. 9, and 9a, whereit will be seen that the head 23* of the block is of sloping or wedgeform to enter the hoie 22's.

The closet seat and lid constructed in the manner described are light,strong and durable, and free from joints, seams, crevices or othersurface obstructions. Due to the smooth and unobstructed surfaceof theseat,

the enamel coating may be applied uniformly and. smoothly toprovide anunhlemished and pleasing polished` surface which may be kept perfectlyclean and sanitary. The hollow character of the seat enables the body ofair enclosed by the thin metal walls to assume readily and quickly thetemperature of the room, so that the metallic character of the seat willcause no discomfort to the user. However, if desired, the seat may befilled with some suitable insulating material, the integral'cliaracterof the seat being well adapted 'to the use of suchmaterial. rl`he hingestructure isv firmly and solidly attachedtothe seat solely by theclamping action of the hinge plate and supporting 'plate on the edges ofthe opening formed iii the rear flange of the seat, thereby-favoidingthe necessity for the formation olf holes or sockets in the finishedstructure to receive hinge fastening devices. These and variousotheradvantages'will Abe readily appreciated. y

Inthe embodiment herein illustrated, the hollow seat is made up incontinuous ringlike form, but it is obvious that it might partake of anyotherv conventional form without departing from the spirit ofthisfinvention. For instance, in .applying 'the invention tof thatconventional formof seat which presents two complementary membersconnected at the'rearto a common hinge structure, each member would bemade of two plates welded together in the manner described andprovidedwith an opening at the rear for vthe attachment of the hingepart-s as before. In such cas-e,`the supporting plate would be dividedinto ltwo-secand tions, one for each seat member. As a matter of fact,even in the embodiment illustrat` ed, the supporting plate might bedivided into two end sections, instead of beingv made in one piece asshown. It may also/be noted that the sheet metal plates or sectionswhich compose the seat may be made or stamped out in various f -orms andwelded together-in the desired manner, the particular form villustratedbeing merely by way of example.

Such variations and others will readily suggest themselves tol thoseskilled in the art and still be comprised within the scopel ofv theinvention.` "It should vbe understood, therefore, that the invention isnot limited to any particular form orconstruction of the parts except inso far vas such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

The term water'clos'et element occurring in certain of the claims is agen'eric'expreslsion intended to describe eitherthe seat or the lid ofthe Water closet structure, the constructions defined bysaid claimsbeing present alike in both elements. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim iis: y

1. A water closet element' comprising a hollow metalY body provided atits rear end with an opening leading to the interior thereof, incombination Awith a hingestructure clamped tothe marginal edges of saidopening, said hinge structure comprisingl a supportingI element locatedwithin the hollow metal body, and. the opening in the rear end ol" saidbody being of sufficient size to permit the insertion of the hingesupporting element into the interior of the hollow metal body. Y 2. Awater closet element comprising a hollow metal body provided at its rearend with an opening leading to the interior thereof, in combinationwitha hinge structure attached thereto, said hinge structure comprising asupporting plate engaged with the inner side of the body adjacent theopening therein, said opening being of sufficient size to permit theinsertion ot the supporting plate into the interiorjo't the hollow metalbody, aV hinge plate opposed to the support# ing plate and engaged withthe outer side of the body, and means connecting the two plates togetherthrough the opening in the body. y 3. A water closet. element comprisinga hollow metal body formed at its rear vend with an openingr leading tothe interior thereof, in combination with a supportin plate disposedwithin the body and engaged with the inner side ot the saine adjacentsaid opening, said opening being otfsutticient size to permit theinsertion of the supporting plate into the interior ot the hollow metalbody, a hinge plat-e engaged with the outer side of the body adjacentthe opening and opposed to the supporting plate, and clamp ing screwspassing through the opening in the body for connecting the two" platestogether.

4. A water closet element constructed ot Y sheet metal comprising a baseplate and a top plate having downturned yflanges integrally connected attheir edges to the marginal edges of the base plate to form a hollowintegral structure, the rear lange ofthe top plate being cut awaybetween its ends to form an opening in the rear end. of the structureleading to the interior thereof, and of suflicient size to permit theinsertion into the interior of the hollow structure ol one elemen-t of ahinge structure adapted to be clamped to the edges thereof.

5. A water closet element comprising a hollow metal body provided at itsrear end with an opening leading to the interior thereof, in`combination with a hinge structure clamped to the marginal edges ofsaid opening, said hinge structure including a supporting plate arrangedwithin the metal body in'engagement with the marginal edges oftheopening and a hinge plate fully covering said opening, said openingbeing of suttlcient size to permit the insertion of the' hingesupporting plate into the interior ot' the hollow metal body.

i In testimony whereof, I have ailixed my signature hereto.

ERNEST RICHARDSON.

